Sofia
Sofia/Sredets The city of Sofia is formally the domain of prince Sascha of clan tzimisce, though he is widely suspected to be a pawn of Amalia of Thrace. The city of Sofia is easily one of the oldest cities on the Balkan peninsula, and has a long and glorious history both in the mortal and Kindred world. In recent history the city has been the domain of Michael the younger, and his coterie. This coterie conquered the city from the evil Amalia of Thrace of clan cappadocian. however recently the coterie lost the fight for the city against an alliance between Amalia and Voivode Istvan of Bucharest. The city is once again back firmly in the grip of Amalia. Whispered rumors in the Camarilla elysiums, especially in Constantinople, speak of terrible things going on in the flooded tunnels beneath Sofia, even rumors of connection to the infamous Mary the Black. Also known as Sredets, Triaditsa and Serdica shamelessly copy pasted from http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/the-concord-of-ashes/wikis/sophia) The land around Sofia, the largest city in Bulgaria, sits high atop the Sofia Plain. Mountains surround it on four sides: the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Sredna Gora range to the south, the Lyulins to the west, and the granite peak of Mount Vitosha to the southwest. These natural defences provide a strong deterrent to invasion. Sofia is one of the most important economic and political centres in Bulgaria, and a source of trememndous pride and conflict between the resurgent state and its former overlord, the Byzantine Empire. While Tarnovo, Varna and Preslav can be deemed to have more strategic importance to Bulgaria than the Sophia, none of them yet carry her prestige, wealth, or beauty. The vitality of Sophia’s trade environment is such that foreign merchants of Turkish, Jewish, Italian, Greek and even Frankish extraction live in the city permanently, in small enclaves of their own. While the city is overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian in its faith, a great many of the citizens (particularly those of Bulgar extraction) still secretly offer prayers to the old gods of Light and Dark. Moreover, like the rest of the nation, the Bogomil Heresy has its secret adherents, and it is rumoured that Sophia has a particularly strong cult of the heretics attending secret masses somewhere within the city. Although parts of the original Roman stone walls still surround Sofia, they have been repaired, strengthened and fortified by successive waves of Byzantine and Bulgarian occupiers. Guarded by strong walls dotted with watchtowers and strong gates, Sophia has always been a hard nut to crack for invaders. The Perlovets and Vladaya rivers, both easily fordable and little more than broad streams, flank the city, providing easy access to water – an important factor in times of siege. History Settled by the Serdi tribe of Thracians sometime during the seventh century BCE, the city then known as Serdica would fall four centuries later to the Romans, who enclosed it in sturdy walls and made it the capital of Inner Dacia. Thus fortified, Serdica became a vital link along the Roman road that stretched between Naissus (now called Niš), near the Adriatic Sea, and Constantinople. Under Constantine in the fourth century, the city (now known as Triaditsa) prospered as an important trade centre. Large parts of the city were destroyed when the Huns invaded in 441 CE, only to be rebuilt when the Byzantine Empire once again reasserted control. Emperor Justinian expanded and strengthened the walls, making the restored city one of the most powerful redoubts for the empire against the seemingly endless barbarian migrations. He also funded the construction of the Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia), intended to be a sister to the great edifice in the capital. The church is still the focal point of much religious life and civic pride for those who reside here, and for centuries many of them have come to call the entire city Sophia, not just her most valuable shrine. For more than four centuries, Triaditsa (called Sredets by the Slavs that came to the plain to trade) prospered once more. When the First Bulgarian Empire under Khan Krum the Terrible drove hard into Byzantine terrioty in the early ninth century, Triaditsa was one of his primary targets. After he destroyed the authority of Byzantium in the region, he turned his attention to the city and it fell in 809 CE, after a long siege. Krum spared the people and made the city, offically renamed Sredetz, his capital. He would move on to attack Adrianople and Constantinople itself, and while he failed to take the great capital, he did succeed in killing Emperor Nicephorus I in battle at Pliska. Krum would make the skull of the emperor his drinking cup, and some say that the skull cup still lies in a forgotten treasure vault under the castle of Sophia. In 1018 CE, when the Byzantines under John Tzimisces reclaimed the region and destroyed the Bulgarian Empire, the people of Sredets welcomed their return to the fold. Sophia was Greek again, and would remain so for nearly two centuries. Nevertheless, nearly 200 years of cultural fusion with the Bulgars had changed the character of the city considerably. The people knew that they were no longer truly Byzantine, but something other. An undercurrent of civic pride in that cultural fusion quietly persisted for the entirety of the new rule of Byzantium. Now, with the rise of the Second Bulgarian Empire under the Asen brothers, Sophia has become Sredets once more. Even so, most of her locals, whether they be Greek, Bulgarian or Vlach, tend to prefer Sophia, the city of wisdom, to any other name. The importance of the city as a hub for trade, culture and prestige has never diminished through all of the troubles that have beset her. The quiet pride that formerly characterised the people of the city has transformed into a strong current of Bulgarian nationalism, and in 1186 CE the city was retaken by the Second Bulgarian Empire with nary a fight. So far, the touch of the rulers is light, perhaps in recognition that the new Bulgarian empire desperately needs the trade that flows through the city. Places of note Bath of Eagles The Leper Colony City Castle St. Sofia Cathedral Roman fort ruins outside the city. The City Walls: Although parts of the original Roman stone walls still surround Sofia, they have been repaired, strengthened and fortified by successive waves of Byzantine and Bulgarian occupiers. Watchtowers at regular intervals along the walls and on both sides of the main gate provide the local garrison with a commanding view of the surrounding plain. The walls are 35 feet high, and a typical watchtower is 15 feet higher still. Serdica Castle: Dominating the city’s western sector, Serdica Castle stands, built atop the original Roman fortress during the rule of Justinian and later rebuilt after the influx of the Bulgars in the 9th century. The underground levels of the castle serve as the haven of the Lasombra prince of Sophia, Basilio the Elder, just as they did for Gabor the Bulgar and Athenogenus before him. The castle is also the residence of Andras Tibor, brother-in-law to Tsar Kaloyan. Awarded the title of “Protector of Sredets”, he hopes that through his hard work his title will soon be made a more royal one. The Church of Holy Wisdom (St. Sophia): The Church of St. Sophia, which stands near the eastern wall of the city, symbolises the strong Byzantine cultural influence that so thoroughly characterises the history of this city. Erected in the late 6th century, during the rule of Emperor Justinian, St. Sophia (or “Blessed Wisdom”) is a three nave basilica formed in the shape of a cross, with an elaborate dome to mark the intersection. Built from brown bricks laid in intricate patterns that give the church a sense of depth and richness of texture, the church rests on the foundations of an even older predecessor destroyed by the Huns in the 5th century. St. Sophia radiates a strong aura of True Faith, and the Cainites of the city are forced to admire it from afar. The Archbishop’s Villa: Situated near the church stands an elaborate Romanesque villa that is the residence of the Archbishop of Sredets, Brencis Vidor, a bitter cleric who resents the fact that his rival in Tarnovo, Vassily, has been appointed Patriarch of Bulgaria by Kaloyan. The Church of St. George: This small rotunda, originally a Roman temple to a pagan god, is the oldest church in the city, predating the Hagia Sophia by some 80 years. Considerably smaller than St. Sophia, it is constructed of red brick and laid out with a central dome in the middle of a square building, with 2 cruciform transepts. Like the Boyana church, the rotunda is in the process of being graced by frescos. Unlike Boyana church however, Stanislava is not involved in the work as she finds the aura of True Faith in St. George to be uncomfortable and stultifying. The Boyana Church: This church, completed in the early years of the 11th century, is less prestigious than the others, but is popular with those who wish to worship in peace and solitude.The Toreador fresco painter Stanislava has taken the place as her Domain, and she is encouraging other talented painters to contribute to her growing body of work here. She hopes to attract mortal patronage to expand the church in the years to come. The Market: The centre of the city is a large marketplace, where peasants who farm the fertile Sophia plain come to sell their produce and the city’s craftsmen and artisans display their wares. The city’s Cainite population keeps track of the daily goings-on through ghoul servants who frequent the market. Council Hall: Between church and castle, overlooking the marketplace, stands the Council Hall, built on the site of the ancient Roman bulefteris. Andras the Protector holds daily audiences here with the city’s most prominent citizens and meets with his council of advisors once a week. On the first day of each month, the Protector’s Council is open to all residents of the city, however insignificant. Andras then hears grievances and passes judgements concerning the minor disputes. The Council Hall also serves as the evening court of the city’s Cainite prince and his advisory council. Basilio hears reports from his progeny as well as the Toreador Stephanos several times a week, and deals with any problems that have arisen. Mineral Baths: Located throughout the city are a number of thermal and cold baths, which take advantage of the underground mineral springs found within the confines of the city. Part of Sophia’s Roman heritage, these baths (like the marketplace) serve as gathering places for the citizenry, many of whom have preserved the ancient Roman custom of bathing regularly no matter the weather. The mineral springs also afford bathers with therepeutic advantages. Seperate entrances and bathing chambers allow women to participate in the life of the bathhouse as well. The two most prominent establishments are the House of the Eagle and the House of the Eternal Mother. The House of the Eagle: The most luxurious of the baths, the “Eagle” occupies a sumptuous Roman-style building north of the Council House. The wealthiest residents of Sophia come to this lavishly accoutered establishment to gossip, socialise informally and soak themselves in the salubrious baths. The owner of the bathhouse, Jorgi the Bear, resides in the adjoining the villa. Both buildings are decorated with elaborate mosaics depicting Roman themes. The House of the Eternal Mother: Located in the south-western part of the city, the “Mother” is popular with the more salt-of-the-earth folk of Sophia – the farmers, herders and soldiers. Rumour has it that a pagan temple exists somewhere within the massive complex, and that those citizens who pay only lip service to the Christian god can come here to offer their prayers to the old gods. The proprietors of the bathhouse are a young couple, Milan and Rosica Karyo, who run it on behalf of Milan’s aged mother, Todorka. The Cattle Market: Just inside the south gate of the city, this square and adjoining stockyard hosts a yearly cattle drive each autumn. Herdsmen from the surrounding hills bring their best stock to sell, and the population of the city swells to nearly half again its size. Inns, Taverns and Alehouses Numerous inns and taverns dot the city, providing the evening entertainment for the citizenry and offering room and board for travellers. As a busy trading city, Sophia is a popular stopover not just for merchants, but Cainites as well. Prince Basilio has always been accommodating in this respect, so long as they pay the proper homage and remember his kindness. He is less amenable to those who wish to stay longer than a week, as he feels that there are enough Cainites in Sophia already. Two of the more likely examples of the common fare are to be found below: The Sign of the Wing and Talon: Located a few doors from the House of the Eagle, this tavern and inn accommodates the upper-class locals as well as well as prestigious visitors. The owner, Boyko, is a friend of Jorgi the Bear. The Sign of the Crossed Knives: Near the south gate is the opposite end of the spectrum. Run by an unscrupulous ex-mercenary and pimp by the name of Timotei the Tall, the “Knives” caters to the city’s less scrupulous elements- thieves, panderers, prostitutes and common labourers. Category:Places Category:Places